What are the Civil War Amendments?

The amendments to the Constitution that are commonly known
as the Civil War Amendments are the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments.  These amendments
were passed in 1865, 1868 and 1870 respectively in reaction to the Civil War, its
causes, and its aftermath.  These amendments together give African Americans the same
legal status and rights as whites enjoy.

Briefly, the 13th
Amendment prohibits slavery.  The 14th Amendment mandates that all citizens of the US
must enjoy the "equal protection of the laws."  The 15th Amendment states that blacks
cannot be prohibited from voting due to their race or to the fact that they were once
slaves.